There are a lot of wonderful incentives to make your home renovation as eco-friendly as possible — you can shrink your carbon footprint, save money on energy expenditures and feel confident that you are making environmentally-friendly choices. Whatever your motivation, here are some of the projects that should be at the top of your to-do list in order to make your home eco-friendly.
Low-Flow Fixtures
Replacing your house’s faucets or fixtures with high-quality low-flow versions is one of the top green renovation tips from home design experts because low flow faucets and fixtures conserve water and prevent needless waste. Depending on the year they were bought, older toilets generally use a lot more water than newer, environmentally-conscious models — toilets made before the 1980s used seven gallons per flush versus newer toilets that use only 1.6 gallons per flush.
You can go to Morrison Plumbing & Mechanical for assistance with this particular renovation. You can purchase low-flow faucets, showerheads and toilets at a store and have them neatly install them for you. If you’re not sure what options are best for conservation and your budget, they can also help you with the selection and delivery process. They are available for inquiries and assistance at any hour of the day or any day of the week and they have plumbing contractors who work downtown so you can have the experts drop by your place for an appointment in no-time.
Energy-Efficient Lighting
Getting into the habit of turning off lights when you leave the room or enjoying natural light provided by windows is good, but swapping out the bulbs will be even better. If you want to make your home eco-friendly, you should purchase efficient light bulbs to replace your old incandescent ones and consume less energy — your top options for these replacements are described in the table below:
| Types: | Definitions: |
| Halogen Bulbs | Halogen incandescent light bulbs can be used to replace standard incandescent bulbs. They last much longer and use an average of 28 percent less energy. |
| CFLs | Compact fluorescent light bulbs can use up to 75 percent less energy than standard incandescent bulbs and can have 8 times the longevity. |
| LEDs | Light-emitting diodes use less energy than CFL bulbs and can last 25 times as long as standard incandescent ones. |
Go Green With A Rooftop Garden
If you happen to have a flat roof on your home, you can use it to your benefit by covering the surface with flowers, trees, vegetables and other plants. Treating your rooftop like a raised backyard is one of the best eco-friendly renovations that you can undertake — the extra plant-life will naturally purify the air by providing more oxygen. The rooftop garden protects your home and it will instantly reduce your home’s carbon footprint since it protects your house from solar heat in the summer and minimizes heat loss by adding insulation in the winter.
Apartment and condominium residents don’t have to feel left out for not having a sprawling yard because they can fill their rooms with planters and terrariums. Indoor plants will improve the quality of the air and fill your space with natural fragrance.
While this last suggestion didn’t make our official list, it’s important to point out that energy efficient appliances can make a huge difference in your energy consumption and carbon footprint. For those who live in colder climates, high efficiency furnaces can cover their own costs after a few years.
Conversely, if your water supply is fairly warm, installing a tankless water heater can help your household save money, all while ensuring you don’t run out of hot water! There are lots of energy efficient tankless water heaters you can find to suit your needs.
To be consistent with your eco-friendly goals, prioritize local businesses during your renovation. Your choices will lower the risk of pollution that comes from long-distance transportation, as well as put money back into your neighbourhood.
Do you have any other tips to make your home eco-friendly? Please share them in the comments section.
